Unkill ji: The Artist Who Built His Sound Out of Anxiety, Honesty & Self-Belief
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by Rahul
Unkill ji’s world isn’t built on loud singles or algorithm-chasing. It’s built on intention, anxiety, honesty, and a quiet kind of confidence that comes from breaking — and rebuilding — yourself over and over again.
In this conversation, Harsh Jain (the mind behind Unkill ji) opens up about his monikers, fears, self-doubt, Goa life, community support, creative identity, and the journey that almost ended before it began.
This is the most honest version of Unkill ji you’ll read.
Q) You’ve had multiple monikers before “Unkill ji.” What made this name feel right, not just as a stage identity but as a creative mindset? And do you think artists often get disillusioned during that search for identity, wondering whether their music is actually good or if they’re fooling themselves?
Unkill: I’ve been making music for quite some time, and it was always influenced by whatever I was listening to at that moment. I realised I was mostly making things I thought would be perceived well. Since I was learning production too, I was obsessed with making “edgy, cool” music — something “out of this world.”
The rinse-and-repeat cycle continued for a while until it stopped feeling real. Nothing in my earlier work was truly me; it was the version I wanted to be — someone who looked “cool.”
I’m a very stressed and anxious person by default. I overthink a lot, and worrying is basically my favourite hobby. That’s how Unkill was born. My goal became clearer: help listeners break free from their inhibitions and self-judgment, help them escape the daily stress of life.
If you notice my lyrics, they’re not really “happy.” But the music gives the whole thing a warmer, kinder tone. I wanted my songs to feel like a small hug at the end of a long day — and no particular genre confines that feeling. (I mean, I get emotional listening to jungle music sometimes.)
That’s pretty much it. Once this clicked, there was no looking back.
I started diving deeper into my purpose as a creative. Was it to make the most “technically A+ sonic genius waah kya baat” music? Not really. It was to make “Abey, chalta hai yaar” music — the conversations I wish someone had with me when I was younger. So I’m having them now, with as many people as I can.
I do think artists (including me) often get disillusioned. But that’s part of the practice. I’ve made so many wrong decisions to get here, and that’s normal. We’re constantly evolving, and so is everything around us. It’s normal to love something one moment and hate it the next.
When you’re starting out, a lot of your worth is based on external validation — not just skill, but recognition.
Do people take you seriously?
Do friends and family share your work?
When the answer is “no,” it hits your mental health hard.
I don’t have a magic solution. All I can say is: take a day and think deeply.
Do YOU believe in what you’re doing? If yes, keep going. Have a few close people whose opinions matter, run things by them, and be open to criticism: not to respond, but to understand. That’s it.
Q) People know Unkill ji, but not everyone knows Harsh Jain. How did music first enter your life, and how has your relationship with it changed over the years? Do you feel the version of yourself today — musically and personally — is the most authentic you’ve ever been?
Unkill: I grew up listening to rock, anything my father played. He loves singing, so there was always music in the background, but that was it.
Coming from a defence family, music was never “serious.” It was just hanging out, singing along, having fun.
I must’ve been 15 when I saw a family friend play guitar at a gathering. It was love at first sight. I opened YouTube and watched concert videos for hours. I literally learned by watching guitarists’ hands and copying their movements.
After enough time, one day I just knew how to play.
I still don’t know chords or scales. I don’t know if it’s the “right” way. But if it sounds good, I’m cool.
Then came the “okay, I can play… now what?” moment.
I had no idea how to make a song. But I knew I wanted to do music — kis capacity mei? Bilkul idea nahin. YouTube to the rescue again. Endless production tutorials. I genuinely don’t remember those years, but again, one day I woke up and knew music production. Viola!
My relationship with music is rocky. I love it, and I wouldn’t do anything else. But as I progress in this “musical career/business” space, there are so many things I’m still learning that aren’t directly music-related yet affect my future. That part is off-putting. But it’s a phase, it’ll pass.
Right now, I’m making the most authentic music I’ve ever made, and that’s what matters. This whole project is a way to be closer to myself. Sort of a self-help mechanism.
And if self-help is the goal, I have to keep everything raw and honest. Disservice to self is stupid. Don’t do it.
Q) Your numbers are still building, but inside the community, you’re respected deeply. As an artist and as a person, what matters more to you — the respect of your peers or reaching the masses? Or do you see those as two completely different journeys?
Unkill: To me, they’re two completely different journeys.
Little backstory: before Unkill, none of my music worked. No one heard it, no one shared it, no one cared. After five years of doing this, I wondered if I was even making good music.
“5 saal ho gaye… kuch workout kyun nahin ho raha? Kya main hi kharab gaane bana raha hoon?”
I was genuinely going to quit. I had the idea for Unkill, but that was it.
I connected with Circletone last year for a track called Thehraav (my first single). The plan was simple: get it engineered, keep it for myself, no releases.
When he first heard it, he said, “Bhai, tum toh yeh kaafi accha bana diye ho!” I thought he was just being polite because I was a client.
But he kept talking about the song to every artist he met. Then those artists started reaching out —
“Circle ne bataya. Kya sundar gaana hai. Release it.”
At first, I thought they were messing with me. Five years ago no one cared, and now the artists I admire were appreciating my music? It took time to believe it wasn’t a joke.
Those same artists became friends, then family. I wouldn’t have continued making music without them. They reversed the internal sangharsh I had.
So yes, peer support is extremely important to me. I’m grateful for it every day.
As for the masses, I’m still discovering who “the masses” are for my music. But whenever someone messages me saying the music helped them, it feels like a miracle.
It means the goal is working: helping listeners break inhibitions and stress. We’re already doing it, now it’s about consistency.
I’m just grateful, whether it’s the community or people outside it. It’s surreal that my music connects with people. That feeling is my drug.
Q) In an era where most artists chase singles, you build projects with intention. Is that a conscious artistic choice? Do you see yourself shaping a discography meant to be experienced in bodies of work rather than moments?
Unkill: Oh yes, very conscious. My mind works in events, not moments. If I don’t have 10,000 thoughts running in my head at once — I DON’T WANT IT.
It feels unfair to bottle a whole concept into one song. I want a large body of work, not a reputation as someone who drops two singles a year and disappears.
My music is also very character-based, so it’s important to experience it in projects. This might change (I change every minute) but right now this is where I’m at.
I’ll drop singles here and there, but most of my work will be EPs or albums. Some of the influence comes from what I grew up listening to: full albums playing, and picking favourites out of them. That was fun as a listener.
With the current content landscape, everyone wants one viral hit. That’s okay, but I personally can’t sustain myself on that.
Unkill ji keeps me (Harsh) in check. If I dilute the core of this project, I lose myself. And no one wants to be SAD, right? That’s how it be.
Q) You live in Goa, far from the Mumbai-centric industry. People often talk about the disadvantages, but what have been the surprising advantages of being away from the noise? Has the distance sharpened your artistic clarity?
Unkill: TON of advantages. Not gonna lie — I do get FOMO when I see events happening. Whenever I visit cities, I meet so many interesting creatives and come back with a full heart.
But right now, living in a city is tricky for me. Goa fuels me as a person, which fuels the project. I like quiet spaces. I start my day at 5 AM: walking my dog, training, getting sunlight. That discipline keeps me grounded.
Since I’m anxious by nature, a peaceful start to the day is crucial. Goa gives me that.
Clean beaches, empty roads. It does get lonely because my community is outside Goa, but there are pros and cons everywhere.
I’m not opposed to moving to a city when I have the resources and money. But by then, everyone will probably move to Goa because everyone is FED UP, hahaha. Win-win for Unkill.
Q) You’re not confined to hip-hop, yet many DHH artists connect deeply with your music. Why do you think your sound resonates across genres? And as someone slightly outside the bubble, how do you view the scene?
Unkill: I don’t think it’s “my sound” crossing boundaries — I think the DHH scene itself is massive sonically. These guys try everything, test everything, and ace it. So many producers are running this on old laptops. It’s inspiring.
If you’re making music in India today, you’ll eventually come across DHH artists who add something to your sound. They’re versatile and enterprising like that.
As for my view — I’ve heard weird opinions here and there, but personally, every single DHH artist I’ve met has been warm, kind, and welcoming. So I love what they’re doing.
We often compare everything to Western hip-hop, which is far more organised. We forget the difference in resources. But things here are improving: resources, organisation, everything. Thoda intezaar karo — it’s bound to happen.
Q) Every creative person battles insecurity. Without constant validation, how do you stay focused and maintain self-belief?
Unkill: I didn’t, until a month or two ago.
What changed was my mindset. Whenever a doubt comes in, I break the thought chain with delusional confidence. Would I recommend it? I don’t know, but it works for me.
In moments of uncertainty, I get overly passionate — about the sound, the lyrics, the story. That passion keeps me going.
Mera goal mujhe saamne saaf dikhna chahiye. Uske agal-bagal sab accordingly adjust ho jaayega.
Q) You’ve been making music for 5+ years. If you could go back to the beginning, what advice would you give your younger self to enjoy the journey more, not just survive it?
Unkill: Take it easy. Be passionate about everything you do creatively. Don’t half-ass things. Ever.
Always be the Batman in your story, not the Robin. (Sorry Robin bhai.)
Unkill ji’s story is a reminder that sometimes the breakthrough isn’t a viral moment: it’s the shift of perspective, the one conversation, or the one song that flips a switch inside you.
His journey is still unfolding, but one thing is clear: he’s building something meant to last, not something meant to trend. And in a scene that’s constantly evolving, artists like Unkill ji keep the heart of Indian music rooted in intention.
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